New law will reduce the use of single-use utensils, condiments, straws beginning January 1
| Washington’s plastic waste reduction goals begin January 1, 2022. Washington restaurants will no longer automatically include single-use food service items like utensils, condiments and straws with food orders. A new state law restricts the use of these items and prohibits packaged bundles of single-use items in order to reduce waste and litter – although customers can still request individual items if needed. Single-use food serviceware items covered by the new requirements include: – Utensils (knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks) – Cocktail picks, splash sticks, and stirrers – Straws – Condiment packets, sachets, or sauce cups – Cold cup lids, except those provided at drive-through windows or events with over 2,500 people This means these items can no longer be automatically included with food orders or provided in packaged bundles, which often results in wasted, littered, or improperly recycled single-use items. Under the new law, to receive a single-use food serviceware item, customers must request it, confirm their choice when asked, or select the item they want from a self-serve station. “Automatically including disposable silverware, straws and condiments with every order creates a huge amount of waste, much of which ends up littering our roads and damaging our environment,” said Laurie Davies, manager of the Solid Waste program at the Washington Department of Ecology. “This law nudges people to help reduce unnecessary waste.” Nearly one trillion single-use food service products are disposed or littered each year in the United States, according to a 2021 Upstream report. Single-use food serviceware items are also a major contaminant in Washington’s recycling system that decreases the value of recycled materials. Reducing their use will protect the state’s rivers and streams, help the recycling system run more efficiently, and contribute to a growing culture of waste reduction and reuse. If you wish to learn more about this law, please visit the Ecology Serviceware website or read the specific language of the law on the Washington State Legislature website under RCW 70A.245.080. Keep an eye out for a downloadable outreach toolkit coming soon to the Ecology website that includes point-of-sale signage, web graphics, and flyers for businesses and their staff. These materials are formatted for accessibility and will be translated into 17 additional languages. |